Thank you to the Oakfield Fire Department for working with the American Red Cross on our Make a Difference Day Project. We delivered fire prevention door hangers in the rural communities in Fond du Lac County. By partnering with the Oakfield Fire Department, and were able to deliver door hangers to the entire Village of Oakfield. Thank you for making a difference!

Hurricane Sandy is barreling toward the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The American Red Cross urges residents along the coast and interior regions to make their storm preparations now as heavy rains are forecast to begin in the Northeast Sunday afternoon. Click on the links in this story for details on how to get ready for Sandy.

Weather experts predict this massive weather system could affect as many as 50 million people, with the storm having a significant impact in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Hurricane Sandy will bring heavy rain and flooding, winds gusting up to 75 miles per hour, extended power outages and even snow.

WHAT WE’RE DOING Some expect the approaching storm to be more powerful than Hurricane Irene, which caused a widespread disaster response operation in 2011. The Red Cross is mobilizing disaster workers and putting relief supplies into place. It also has shelters standing by and more than 100 emergency response vehicles on alert to respond, including vehicles from as far away as Wisconsin.

PREPARE YOUR FAMILY Government officials and weather experts are urging people to get ready for the storm now. Bring anything inside that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture, etc.). Keep up-to-date about the storm’s progress and find out about your community’s disaster response plan. Plan routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs and make plans for your pets.

CHECK DISASTER SUPPLIES Everyone should build or restock their disaster supply kits now. Replace or restock items as needed. These supplies should include:

Water—one gallon per person, per day

Food—non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items

Flashlight and extra batteries

Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

First aid kit

Medications (7-day supply) and medical items

POWER OUTAGES Utility companies are warning customers that the storm could cause power outages lasting several days. Everyone should fill their vehicle’s gas tank and get extra cash now as gas pumps and ATMs won’t work if the power is out. Other steps you can take are:

Have coolers on hand and surround your food with ice in the cooler or refrigerator to keep food cold for a longer period of time. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.

Use flashlights, not candles.

Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment and any appliances, equipment or electronics you were using when the power went out to avoid damaging them when the power is restored.

Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car as traffic lights will be out and roads congested

USING A GENERATOR If you are planning to use a generator, never use it indoors, including in a garage, carport, basement, crawlspace or other area, even with ventilation. Generators put off carbon monoxide fumes, which can be deadly. Full details are available at the link above.

IF YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE Several states have already declared a state of emergency and some are calling for voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas.Stay informed about the storm’s progress and evacuate if told to do so. If you need to find a shelter, download the Red Cross Hurricane app, visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or check your local television, radio and newspaper.

If coming to a shelter, there are things you should bring with you such as:

Prescription medicine

Identification and valuable papers

Toiletries

Change of clothing

Water, non-perishable food

Blankets, pillows and/or sleeping bags

Baby food and diapers

HOW TO HELP To help those who may be affected by this storm and other disasters, you can make a donation by visiting http://www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). You can also text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local Red Cross chapter or the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Take Steps to Keep Everyone Safe While Trick or Treating

Halloween is just around the corner and youngsters will soon be out trick or treating.As they get ready to collect their Halloween treats, the American Red Cross has tips to make this a fun and safe Halloween.

“Halloween is a fun time, especially for the little ones,” said Lisa Stanchfield, Community Preparedness Coordinator. “The Red Cross has steps everyone can take to make sure their Halloween is also a safe one.”

COSTUME SAFETY

There are steps parents can take to keep their little ghosts and goblins safe in their disguises:

Add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags.

Use flame-resistant costumes.

Use face makeup instead of masks, which can cover their eyes and make it hard to see.

BE SAFE WHILE OUT AND ABOUT

To maximize safety for the trick or treaters, plan a route ahead of time. Make sure adults know where children are going. If the children are young, a parent or responsible adult should accompany them as they walk through the neighborhood.

Here are more safety tips to follow as children go from house to house:

Make sure trick-or-treaters have a flashlight.

Visit only the homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door—never go inside.

Walk only on the sidewalks, not in the street. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic.

Look both ways before crossing the street, and cross only at the corner.

Don’t cut across yards or use alleys. Don’t cross between parked cars.

Be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.

GREETING TRICK OR TREATERS

For those who expect to welcome trick-or-treaters at their door, they can make sure it’s fun for everyone by following a few tips:

Make sure the outdoor lights are on.

Sweep leaves from sidewalks and steps.

Clear the porch or front yard of any obstacles that a child could trip over.

Restrain pets.

Use a glow stick instead of a candle in jack-o-lanterns to avoid a fire hazard.

“Holiday Mail for Heroes” Mailbox Open Through December 7

While military deployments and hospital stays may keep many of our nation’s heroes away from their families this holiday season, the American Red Cross is collecting and distributing cards that send words of encouragement, gratitude and cheer.

Between now and December 7, Americans can give something that means something by sending a card of thanks and support to members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

“Holiday Mail for Heroes is an excellent way for America to remain connected with service members deployed overseas under combat conditions. Simple and nice, these cards convey the message that we still care about the sacrifices our service men and women make on a daily basis. This program is more important now than ever before,” stated Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Roy Krueger, who is also a Red Cross Services to Armed Forces volunteer.

We encourage you to make this a family activity, a school project or a civic group event, or participate in one of your areas card making events such as the Sunday, November’ 4th Packer’s Game and the Packer’s Holiday Blood drive on Wednesday, November 14, from 7a.m – 7 p.m. in the Lambeau Field Legends Room.

The Red Cross is inviting the public to send messages of thanks and holiday cheer until December 7 by mailing them to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes

P.O. Box 5456

Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Pitney Bowes Inc. receives cards at the special Holiday Mail post office box, and screens them for hazardous materials. Pitney Bowes screens, packages and ships the cards at no charge, and contributes thousands of volunteer hours at sites around the country. The local Pitney Bowes office in Neenah will also accept cards through November 30th.

A new drop-off location this year is at National Exchange Bank locations where they will collect the cards up-to the first week of December and ship them to the P.O. Box.

This is the third year MilesKimball’s, based in Oshkosh, has supported the program with a donation of 10,000 printed cards! Cards will be available at community events for signing.

Red Cross volunteers across the United States and on military installations overseas then sort and deliver the cards throughout the holiday season. The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have received and distributed more than 4.7 million cards for members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans and their families since the program began in 2006. Locally, the goal is collect at least 20,000 cards and distribute 10,000 cards to local Veteran clinics and hospitals and through Veteran groups. The Red Cross will schedule volunteers to assist in the sorting and delivery of cards.

To ensure that cards are delivered in time for the holidays, they must be postmarked no later than December 7. Individuals are asked to refrain from sending “care packages,” monetary donations, or using glitter or any other kinds of inserts with the cards. More information and card requirements are at redcross.org/holidaymail..

The public can connect with fellow card senders through Facebook at facebook.com/redcross and Twitter.com/redcross using the hashtag #holidaymail.

The Red Cross relies on the support of the American people to carry out its mission of service to the 2 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces, 24 million veterans and their families. During this holiday season, people also can support all Red Cross services by making a financial donation at redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS. Individuals can also give the gift of life by making an appointment to give blood at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS.

About the American Red Cross:The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

About our Holiday Partners

During this holiday season, the American Red Cross is grateful for the support of our corporate partners that generously contribute to our Holiday Giving Campaign. They include: University of Phoenix, Circle K West Coast Division, and the Community Safety Foundation, funded by AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah Insurance Exchange. Thanks to the generosity of these and other sponsors, the Red Cross is able to carry out its mission of helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies everyday here and around the world. Each holiday season the Red Cross gives everyone the chance to support our work by giving blood, signing a card for military heroes or buying a gift through our holiday catalog. To support the Red Cross this Holiday Season, visit www.redcross.org/holiday

American Red Cross hosts 12-hour blood drive at Lambeau Field

The American Red Cross invites football fans to give something that means something by donating blood at the Green Bay Packers blood drive on Nov. 14. While the need for blood is ongoing, the supply isn’t — especially around the holidays. In the spirit of the season, give thanks and give hope to someone in need by donating blood at Lambeau Field.

Green Bay Packers Blood Drive

Wednesday, November 14 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Lambeau Field – Legends Club Room

1265 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, Wis.

“In August, nearly 400 Packers fans helped boost the blood supply prior to the Labor Day holiday weekend. The Red Cross returns to Lambeau Field just before Thanksgiving, and we invite community members to lend an arm to support patients in Wisconsin and across the country,” said Michelle Otero, Red Cross Donor Recruitment Supervisor. “The Red Cross is grateful to have the opportunity to partner with the Green Bay Packers and their lifesaving supporters.”

All presenting donors at the Green Bay Packers blood drive will receive a special giveaway item (while supplies last) and can enter a raffle to win official Packers merchandise. All blood types are currently needed while donors with type O negative, A negative or B negative blood are especially encouraged to give. The Red Cross hopes to collect at least 350 pints of blood throughout the day.

Those attending the blood drive will also have an opportunity to send a holiday message to a service member. Preprinted cards will be available to sign as part of the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Holiday Mail for Heroes gives Americans the opportunity to send holiday greetings to veterans, military families and active-duty service members at hospitals and installations around the world. To learn more about the program, visit redcross.org

How to Donate Blood

Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

American Red Cross chapters serving all of Wisconsin, plus the Michigan border communities are just days away from the Wisconsin Disaster Training Conference to be held at the Gruenhagen Conference Center on the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Campus from October 18-21, 2012.

More than 200 have registered for entry-level to high-level training with courses taught-by, and open-to, community partners as well as newcomers and long-time Red Cross responders.

Specific training tracks are scheduled so a person can grow within their chosen line of service. Training tracks include: health services, mental health, sheltering, operations management, feeding and disaster communications. Therefore, a person with professional skills, such as a licensed mental health professional, can learn the Red Cross guidance to make their disaster deployment the most beneficial for the people we serve. In other capacities, we are looking for volunteers with a strong will to help others, are compassionate and are ready for training.

All courses will have a strong emphasis on collaborative efforts before, during and after disasters. For instance, fostering working relationships with other first responders, community leaders and mutual aid assets are vital to a successful response. While we have the trained team to establish a shelter, we need the location, which is where our community partners and advanced planning comes into play.

All courses are free to disaster responders, just like the services we provide during times of need. In fact, the Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters a year – more than 1,100 in Wisconsin last year. Course participants will be asked to respond to local disasters first and then as skills and availability rise, they maybe deployed to larger or national assignments. For example, during Hurricane Isaac, several Emergency Response Vehicles from Wisconsin were driven to the Gulf Coast. During the ERV Ready, Set, Roll course, we will certify additional drivers. Due to over-whelming registrations for the International Humanitarian Law course, we’ve added a class on Wednesday, October 17th. This class explores guiding principles from the Geneva Conventions which sets forth Red Cross involvement around the globe.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization which depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Matching mirror ball trophies could soon be on display at the Driver house if Betina Driver is the top fundraiser at Dancing with our Stars 2013 for the American Red Cross. The wife of Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver is one of 9 local “celebrities” set to compete in the event, which supports local Red Cross efforts.

“We’re thrilled both Betina and Donald Driver will be part of Dancing with our Stars 2013,” said Steve Hansen, Regional Chapter Executive for the American Red Cross of Northeast Wisconsin. “I believe they will not only bring a high level of energy, enthusiasm and passion to the dance floor but also to raising funds on behalf of the Red Cross.”

Mrs. Driver has plenty to live up to when it comes to dancing after her husband took home the mirror ball trophy earlier this year on the 14th season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Those dance moves will again be on display as Donald Driver will serve as Betina’s dance partner at the event.

The Red Cross will host a kickoff party Thursday, October 25th at 7 p.m. to unveil the complete 2013 “star dancer” lineup. It includes top executives, small business owners and members of the media. The invitation-only event will take place on the Club Level of the Lambeau Field Atrium.

Dancing with our Stars is now in its fifth year and it is has been a sold-out event each year. Not only do those in attendance support local efforts, so can those not attending as the “star dancers” receive votes in the form of donations to the Red Cross. One dollar equals one vote. All funds raised support disaster prevention, preparation and relief, the life-saving training of first aid, CPR/AED classes, collection and testing of blood and blood products, support to military members serving around the globe, the transportation program and international programs.

Dancing with our Stars 2013 will take place Saturday, February 23rd at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Green Bay. Information about tickets will be available in January. More event information can be found on the following Red Cross platforms:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.